Gezelschap op weg in een auto door Californië voor een tocht langs de olievelden Possibly 1903 - 1908

Editor: This gelatin-silver print, possibly from the early 1900s, is titled "Gezelschap op weg in een auto door Californië voor een tocht langs de olievelden" – or "Company traveling in a car through California for a trip along the oil fields." The scene is striking, but the car seems almost swallowed by the landscape, it makes me feel quite curious about the era. What catches your eye in this image? Curator: Oh, I'm instantly transported. That’s more than just a car; it's a time capsule rattling along a nascent Californian dream. I imagine the smell of oil mixing with sagebrush... kind of romantic in a gritty way, don't you think? The way the photograph flattens the perspective makes the figures almost appear as though they're part of the environment. Does it speak to you about humankind's relationship to the environment? Editor: I do see your point there, yes. What does this type of photography tell us about capturing moments in the past? It is much less perfect compared to photography today. Curator: It's beautiful *because* it's imperfect. Look closely; the soft focus gives the scene an ethereal quality. It is capturing a fleeting moment, not aiming for digital perfection. You sense the immediacy, the dust, and even the anticipation of what those figures may find. Plus, consider how rare automobiles were back then; photographing one became a statement in itself. Are there ways in which capturing a perfect, modern day photograph may miss out on things? Editor: Hmmm... perhaps perfect clarity sanitizes the feeling somehow. I like your take. Curator: Exactly! It allows the grit and the poetry to co-exist. It becomes less about pristine accuracy, and more about emotion, which can only exist in some degree of messiness! Editor: I completely agree now, it has more soul. I wouldn’t have seen this without your personal point of view on the work. Thank you! Curator: The pleasure was all mine. Hopefully this conversation brings some joy to other visitors, too!